


Happy Birthday, Maria!

by goldenwing57



Series: Ultimate Lifeform?  More Like Ultimate Cutie! [9]
Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Baby Shadow, Fluff, Gen, Shadow is a curious baby, Some Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:49:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25909135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goldenwing57/pseuds/goldenwing57
Summary: Title says it all.  It's Maria's birthday and Shadow learns what birthdays are.
Relationships: Gerald Robotnik & Maria Robotnik, Gerald Robotnik & Shadow the Hedgehog, Maria Robotnik & Shadow the Hedgehog
Series: Ultimate Lifeform?  More Like Ultimate Cutie! [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1809103
Comments: 6
Kudos: 31





	Happy Birthday, Maria!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to everyone who has read this series so far! My birthday was this past Thursday, so I decided that, this time, the bab is going to learn about birthdays.
> 
> Shadow, Maria, and Gerald all belong to the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, which belongs to SEGA. I only borrow them for cute fics.

Gerald hummed as he puttered around the kitchen. Butter, sugar, eggs, flour, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and chocolate chips were all neatly arranged on the counter before him. This time of the year, he always made sure to request these specific ingredients, along with a few others, in his supply order. The pair of red eyes peering up at him from around the doorway may have been a surprise, but was also appreciated.

“What are you doing, Professor?”

Gerald perked up at the sound of the small voice. “Why Shadow, I didn’t expect to see you here. I thought you had gone to play with Maria after your testing was done.”

“I was going to, but I saw you in here, so I wanted to see what you were doing,” Shadow said as he hopped onto a bar stool. He spotted the array of ingredients and asked, “Doesn’t Mia usually do the cooking?”

Gerald laughed before replying, “And the baking, yes. After I tried to surprise her grandmother with a hotdog cake once, she made Maria swear to limit my access to the kitchen up here. I swear, I only did it as a joke, but they never let me off the hook for it!” Shadow furrowed his brow in confusion before shaking his head. Hotdogs and cake? That was a question that did not need to be asked.

“Ah, but this is a special occasion. At this time each year, I make her a special dessert that her grandmother made absolute sure that I got right before we came up here. She used to eat it all the time when she came to visit us as a little girl. It’s called brownie delight. Shadow, would you like to help me make it?” Shadow’s eyes lit up as he nodded enthusiastically.

“Alright, then, let’s get started!” The two set to work measuring ingredients into bowls. 

Gerald was stirring the batter when Shadow had a thought.

“Professor, you said that this was a special occasion. What is it? Mia never said anything about today being special.”

Gerald sighed. _Of course._

“It’s been a long time since she had anyone to share it with aside from the researchers and me. You see, today is her birthday. She’s now 10 years old.”

 _Birthday._ Shadow had heard the term before, but only briefly.

“What’s a birthday?” Gerald nearly dropped the spoon as he turned to the little hedgehog who was looking up at him with open curiosity. He stopped mid-stir to think.

“Well, every person has a specific day on which they came into this world. That day is their birthday. It’s different for each person. On someone’s birthday, friends and family gather together to celebrate the day that that person came into the world with food and presents and wish them luck and happiness for the next year.” Shadow’s eyes widened in wonder as he listened.

“It’s kind of our way of telling each other, ‘We’re glad you’re a part of this world!’” Gerald looked down at the child, who appeared to be deep in thought. He could almost see the gears in his mind turning. He simply waited for whatever question was sure to come.

“Do I have a birthday?”

“Of course! Your birthday is June 19th, 1955. Next year, we’ll celebrate the fact that you’ll have been in this world for one year!” Gerald resumed stirring, then poured the batter into a pan. Shadow beamed.

“I can’t wait!” 

* * * * *

Hours later, Maria sat at the dining room table with a dessert layered with brownies, chocolate pudding, sweetened cream cheese, and whipped cream in front of her. The candles that she had just blown out were still smoking. 

“Happy Birthday, Maria,” Gerald said, giving his granddaughter a tight hug.

“Thank you, Grandfather!” She turned to Shadow, who had been standing by her side, only to find that he had disappeared. However, just as she started to become confused, he reappeared with something in his hand. He held it out to her. Surprised, she accepted it.

It was simple, a photograph of the two of them playing dress-up. She had put on some pearls and a hat that her grandmother had given her to play with before she left Earth, along with some clothes that some of the women on the research team had given her. Shadow had donned one of Gerald’s lab coats, which practically swallowed him up, and a pair of sunglasses. It was one of her favorite photos. Shadow had framed it with some stiff paper that appeared to have been carefully decorated with crayon. He tapped on her arm.

“Happy birthday, Mia.” Maria pulled him to her side in a hug. It took him a moment, but he wrapped his arms around her in return.

“I’m happy you’re a part of this world.”

**Author's Note:**

> Before y'all ask, the hot dog cake is a real thing that has been immortalized in my family. I was not alive for it and, for that, I count my blessings. 
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are appreciated!


End file.
